Lighter



Patented Nov. 27, 1951 LIGHTER Charles A. Fortin, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Paul Pouliot, Cote des Neiges, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application May 20, 1950, Serial No. 163,299

Introduction The present invention relates to automatic pyrophcric lighters for cigarettes or cigars.

While there are many and varied designs of pyrophoric lighters at present available, most -sistance of a compression spring. The more the lever is depressed the greater the resistance of the spring and so the movement of the actuating lever and consequently the rotation of the spark Wheel is slower at the end of the stroke rather vthan being accelerated as is required to obtain the maximum efliciency from the spark producing arrangement.

The present invention recognizes this problem and aims to provide a satisfactory solution by furnishing a novel lighter structure embodying an actuating lever and spark wheel actuating arrangement which eliminates the usual lag in the actual igniting movement. Further, the

- construction of the lighter body itself is designed so as to facilitate manufacture, assembly and subsequent servicing.

Applicants development Accordingly, the invention is a pyrophoric lighter consisting essentially of a casing constituting a fuel reservoir, and mounted on the casing together with the usual wick and pyrophoric member an improved construction of actuating lever and spark wheel actuating mechanism that is arranged so that the rotative movement of the spark wheel is accelerated at the end of the actuating stroke.

More specifically, in a preferred 'construction according to the invention a spark Wheel and a snuiier cap are mounted for rotation about'a common axle supported on the top of the casing.

An actuating lever is pivotally connected to the snuffer cap by the engagementof a screw jour- "nalled in the end of the actuating lever with a `pairofhemispherically shaped slots provided at each side of the snuifer cap; vWith'this arrange- .ment, as the lever moves downwardly,' the screw 'forming the vpivotal connectionbetween' 'the 4 Claims. (Cl. (S7-7.1)

snuffer cap and lever moves inwards along the hemispherical slots towards the pivotal axis so as to shorten the radial arc and so accelerate the rotation of the spark wheel.

In the preferred construction, the actuating lever is resiliently biased for return movement by an elongated extension ci the lever body itself which is bent under and secured .to the casing body. As the entire lever is made of substantially thin resilient metal, the elongated extension serves as a flat leaf spring which is doubled on itself by the depression of the lever. It is also contemplated in this respect that aseparate resilient strip of material might be secured to the actuating lever body and arranged in -a similar manner.

A further feature of the present invention is in the construction of the lighter casing. This is constructed so as to consist of a combined base and side walls, preferably die cast, with a top on which the operative mechanism is mounted secured in position to the upper margin of the side walls. This is accomplished by means Yof an elongated Wick tube having a threaded end and an elongated bolt which also extends Detailed description Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in perspective elevation of a preferred construction of a lighter in accordance with the invention. 35.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross section of the lighter construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section of Figure 1 corresponding to Figure 2 and illustrating 'the actuating lever and snuffer cap in partially compressed position. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the upper f portion of the lighter with the actuating mechalnism removed from the casing.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail View in perspective elevation of the actuating mechanism supporting bridge.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along the line 6-6.

' at the end of the actuating stroke (dotted lines).

With reference to the drawings illustrating a preferred form of a pyrophoric lighter embodying an actuating lever and spark wheel rotating means constructed in accordance with the invention, the main body of the lighter is made up of a casing having a combined base 2li and side walls I2, and a top portion I4 which is adapted to t Within the upper margins of the side walls I2 to provide a reservoir A adapted to contain lighter iiuid. The base 25 is provided with an opening 22 sealed with a threaded closure screw 24 so as to provide a means for lling the reservoir A and a wick tube 26 and a flint tube 28 are provided that respectively extend into and through the reservoir A. The wick tube 26 is constructed so as to have a threaded end 21 which is engaged with the'base 2B so as to retain the casing top I4 in position.

The upper end of the tube extends. beyond the casing top portion I4 and is provided with an outstanding flanged head 30 which bears against the casing top I4 and through which a wick B protrudes when the lighter is in operative condition. The main body of the wick tube 2B extending between the top I4 and base 2D of the casing includes openings to allow the lighter fluid to come into contact with the wick.

The flint tube 23 also passes through the casing top portion I4 so as to extend slightly beyond the surface and is provided with an outstanding ange 34 through which a flint C protrudes.

An elongated bolt 36 passes through the casing top I4 to extend to the casing base 20 with which it is threadably engaged to also retain the casing top I4 inl position. A gasket 38 is Apreferably placed between the mating edges of *modate the usual arrangement of an abrasive spark wheel 42 and snufier cap 44 which are mounted for rotary and pivotal movement respectively on a common axle or screw 46. Means are provided between the snuffer cap 44 and the spark wheel 42 so that pivotal movement of the snufer cap rotates the spark wheel against the iiint C This portion of the lighter is common and is well known in the art.

VThebase portion of the bridge 45 illustrated is provided with a centrally disposed U-shaped slot which when the bridge is mounted on the top portion I4 slidably ts under the iiange 34 of the iiint tube 28. An actuating lever i), made of thin metal having resilient qualities, is formed so'as to have the ange portions 5I extending downwardly at each side from the main body of the lever 55. The forward ends of the ange portions 5I are adapted to overlap, and are hingedly connected to, the snuiier cap 44 by means of a bolt, screw or rivet 54. The screw 54 is journalled in the flange portion ends so as to extend across and slidably ride in a pair of arcuate slots provided in the snuffer cap 44.

With this arrangement, depressions ofV the actuating lever 5D causes pivotal motion of the snuier cap 44 which in turn is transmitted to rotary movement of the spark wheel 42. As the actuating lever descends the screw 54 travels inwardly along the arcuate slots towards the .axle 46 thus reducing the radius of the pivoting leverage and increasing the velocity of the rotating movement transmitted to the spark Wheel 44. The main body of the actuating lever 50 includes an elongated end extension 5B which is bent under and secured to the casing top I4 by a screw 58 which also passes through the bridge portion 40 and retains it in position. The resilient qualities of the material from which the actuating lever is made allows the extension 56 to serve as a at leaf spring which is doubled on itself by the depression of the lever and is thus adapted to resiliently return the lever on release.

-For purposes of servicing or repairs, the screw 54 is withdrawn allowing the actuating lever 5l) to move upwards under the resilient pressure of the extension 56. This exposes the screw 58 and by removal of this screw the entire bridge 40 and the actuating mechanism supported thereby can be removed from the casing (see Figure 4). If it is necessary to remove the casing top I4, this is easily accomplished by unscrewing the threaded wick holder 26 and the threaded bolt 36 from engagement with the base 24. This form of construction offers a distinctadvantage over most prior art lighters of this nature both from the viewpoint of the manufacturer and the potential user.

I claim:

1. In a pyrophoric lighter, a casing constituting a fuel reservoir, said casing having a top adapted to support the lighter operating mechanism, an actuating lever mounted on said casing, said actuating lever being resiliently biased to assume a normal position diagonal to said casing top, a spark wheel mounted on said casing for rotation about an axle mounted parallel with and transverse to said casing top, a snuier cap mounted on said casing so as to surround a major portion of said spark wheel and being mounted for pivotal movement about said spark wheel axle, actuating means between said spark wheel and snuffer cap whereby pivotal movement of said cap rotates said spark wheel in one direction, said snufer cap including at each side an elongated slot of arcuate outline disposed adjacent to, andY extending radially of said spark wheel axle, said actuating lever having extended end portions at each side adapted to overlap at least a minor portion of said snufer cap and being pivotally connected thereto by a shaft journalled between said lever end portions and passing through each of saidsnuffer cap arcuate slots, said actuating lever including a resilient connecting piece connected to the casing top and normally supporting the actuating lever in a po sition diagonal to said casing top adapting said connecting shaft supported by said actuating lever end portion to travel inwards and downwards in an arcuate path relative to said pivotal axis upon depressiony of said actuating lever whereby depression of said actuating lever is adaptcdV to cause pivotal movement of VsaidV cap, said pivotal movement being accelerated as the actuating lever descends by reason of the connecting shaft moving inwards along said arcuate slots towards said common pivotal axis. v

2. A lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating lever is made of substantially thin metal having resilient qualities and said resilient partcomprises an elongated end portion adapted to be bent under and connected to said casing, whereby pressure on said actuating lever Is adapted to fold said extended. end portion in an arcuate path towards the main body of said actuating lever and release of said pressure a1- lows said extended end portion to ilex and return said actuating lever to its inoperative position.

3. A lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lighter casing comprises a main body portion having integral side walls and a base portion, the upper peripheral margin of said side walls being chain'fered outwardly, and a top portion having a outer peripheral edge formed to correspond withv said side wall marginal chamfer, whereby themajor portion of said top portion is adapted tof't within said side wall margin, and means to secure said casing top portion in position.

4. A lighter as claimed in claim 3, wherein there are spaced f apart openings provided in said casing top portion and the means for securing said top portionin position comprises an elongated Wick tube having an outstanding ange at one end with'the other end threaded and being adapted to pass through one of said casing top openings and extend across the interior of said casing to threaded engagement with said 6 casing base portion, said wick tube including openings adapted to allow for the entry of fuel from said casing and an elongated bolt having an outstanding head at one end with Ythe other end threaded and being adapted to pass through another of said casing top openings and extend across the interior of said casing to threaded engagement with said casing base portion.

CHARLES A. FORTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

